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LIBRARIES BENEFIT RESIDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE

It is completely ludicrous to cut the library's operating budget from $24.2 million in 2004 to $6.2 million in 2005. It astounds me that somebody in a position of power, presumably an educated person, believes that such cuts are even an option. The library system is a vital resource for the community.

Beyond all of the dramatic stories of retired seniors learning to navigate the Internet, and children being deprived the gift of reading, is the fundamental fact that the library makes our lives better.

It contains a myriad of resources that provoke and inspire us, challenging us to think critically about the world and ourselves. And that is good for our residents and the community at large. We have to do more than just get by. We have to thrive.